Chapter 192: Saturday III

Chapter 192: Chapter 192: Saturday III

There was still no reply.

Vivienne glanced at the time.

7:08 a.m.

He was probably still getting ready.

She told herself she wasn’t waiting.

She was absolutely waiting.

Her phone vibrated.

Vivienne immediately picked it up.

Christopher: No, I don’t have volunteer work today. I didn’t sign up for it this semester.

Vivienne smiled. Ok, so he’s not a workaholic. Great to know .

Still, she had wanted to know what he would be doing.

She typed:

Vivienne: Then what do you usually do on Saturdays?

The reply came after a short pause.

Christopher: It depends. Sometimes I meet friends. Sometimes I play sports. Sometimes I have other things to attend.

Vivienne nodded to herself.

That made sense.

Christopher seemed to have a rather active social life.

She looked at the screen for another moment.

Then, before she could overthink it, she typed:

Vivienne: What about today?

She sent it.

Immediately, she wondered if that had sounded too interested.

It was just a question.

A completely ordinary question.

She was merely curious.

Her phone vibrated again.

She looked down.

Christopher: Why?

Vivienne blinked.

Another message appeared.

Christopher: Are you going to ask me somewhere?

She froze.

For one entire second, she simply stared at the screen.

Then her face heated.

What?

He thought she was asking him out?

Her heart gave a ridiculous little jump.

She read the message again.

Are you going to ask me somewhere?

Oh.

Oh, that was—

Was he teasing her?

He had to be teasing her.

But what if he wasn’t?

Vivienne’s imagination immediately betrayed her.

Are you going to ask me somewhere?

As in—

Would you like to go somewhere with me?

Her cheeks grew hotter.

Stop.

She was getting ahead of herself.

It was probably just Christopher being playful.

Still...

A tiny, traitorous part of her thought:

What if he wouldn’t mind if I did?

Vivienne pressed her lips together, trying desperately not to smile.

She typed.

Deleted it.

Typed again.

Deleted that too.

Finally:

Vivienne: No. I was just curious.

She stared at it.

It sounded defensive.

Too defensive.

For a second she wanted to delete the ’no’ there.

But before she could change it, she sent it.

Her phone vibrated almost immediately.

Christopher: I know.

Vivienne’s eyes widened.

He knew.

Of course he knew.

She could practically hear the amusement in his voice.

She covered her mouth with one hand, fighting the smile threatening to spread across her face.

This man was going to be the death of her.

Then another message appeared.

Christopher: I’m playing polo with some friends today.

Vivienne’s eyes brightened.

Polo.

That made sense, considering the Sports Festival was coming up.

Vivienne: Oh. For the tournament?

Christopher: Partly. We need the practice.

Vivienne smiled.

She suddenly found herself imagining him on horseback.

That was dangerous.

Very dangerous.

She quickly pushed the thought away.

Vivienne: That sounds fun.

She hesitated.

Then:

Vivienne: I won’t disturb you then. Have fun.

Christopher’s reply came a moment later.

Christopher: You aren’t disturbing me.

Vivienne stared.

Her heart gave another little flutter.

Then:

Christopher: But I should probably get ready soon.

She smiled.

Vivienne: Then I’ll let you get ready.

Christopher: All right.

A pause.

Then:

Christopher: Good luck with your volunteer work.

Vivienne blinked.

He remembered. Remembered her year at least.

She smiled at the screen.

Vivienne: Thank you. I’ll need it.

She set her phone down.

Only then did she realize Claire was watching her.

Claire raised an eyebrow.

"You’re smiling."

Vivienne immediately tried to compose herself.

"I’m not."

"You are."

"I just received a message."

"From him."

Vivienne’s smile returned.

"Yes."

Claire’s expression immediately brightened.

"What did he say?"

Vivienne didn’t even try to hide her excitement this time.

"He asked me if I was going to ask him somewhere."

Claire blinked.

"He did?"

Vivienne nodded, her cheeks warming.

"I was just asking what he was doing today."

"And he thought you were asking him out?"

"Apparently."

Claire laughed.

"What did you say?"

"I told him I was just curious."

"And?"

Vivienne’s smile widened.

"He said, ’I know.’"

Claire stared at her.

Then laughed.

"Oh, he’s teasing you."

"I know."

Vivienne hugged her pillow briefly, unable to contain her grin.

"And then he told me he’s playing polo today."

Claire’s eyebrows rose.

"Polo?"

"With his friends."

"So you two have been talking all morning."

Vivienne glanced at her phone.

"Not all morning."

Claire gave her a look.

Vivienne laughed.

"Well... maybe a little."

--

By the time Vivienne left the dorm with Claire, Amelia, and Eleanor, she was still smiling.

Claire, naturally, had already begun updating the other two.

"So," Amelia said, glancing at Vivienne, "he really asked if you were going to ask him somewhere?"

Vivienne covered her face briefly.

"Claire."

"What?" Claire laughed. "I’m just telling them what happened."

Eleanor looked delighted.

"And you told him you were just curious?"

"Yes."

"And he said he knew?"

Vivienne nodded.

The three girls exchanged looks.

Then Amelia grinned.

"Oh, my God."

"What?" Vivienne asked.

"He knows."

Vivienne laughed.

"I think he does."

Claire nodded seriously.

"Definitely."

Eleanor looked at Vivienne.

"And then he told you he’s playing polo today?"

"Yes."

"With his friends?"

"Yes."

Amelia’s smile widened.

"So he was basically telling you his plans."

Vivienne blinked.

"Because I asked."

"Exactly."

Claire nodded solemnly.

"Which means he wanted you to know."

Vivienne stared at them.

"That’s not what that means."

"It could mean that," Eleanor said.

"It could also mean he was simply answering my question."

The three girls looked at her.

Vivienne sighed.

"Why are you all looking at me like that?"

"Because you’re being reasonable," Amelia said.

"And we don’t want that."

Claire burst out laughing.

Vivienne laughed too.

They continued walking toward the Foundation meeting point.

After a moment, Amelia glanced at her.

"Wait. What time did you start texting him?"

Vivienne checked the time instinctively.

"Very early."

"How early?"

"Six something."

Amelia stopped walking for half a second.

"Six?"

Vivienne nodded.

"Six in the morning?"

"Yes."

Eleanor stared at her.

"And he replied?"

"Of course."

Claire grinned.

"See?"

Vivienne frowned.

"See what?"

"He was awake at six."

"That doesn’t mean anything."

"He replied to you at six."

"He was probably already awake."

"He replied."

Vivienne tried not to smile.

Failed.

Amelia linked her arm through Vivienne’s.

"Oh, my God. This is happening."

"What is happening?"

"You two."

Vivienne laughed.

"Nothing is happening."

"Yet," Eleanor added.

Claire nodded.

"Exactly. Yet."

Vivienne shook her head, but she couldn’t stop smiling.

They were ridiculous.

Absolutely ridiculous.

But the truth was...

she didn’t mind their delusions quite as much as she should have.

In fact...

She couldn’t deny that a tiny part of her hoped they were right.

Her phone remained in her hand as they continued toward the Foundation.

She glanced at the screen.

No new message.

Still, she smiled.

She had already talked to Christopher that morning.

That was enough.

For now.

--

By the time they reached the Foundation meeting point, the other students had already begun gathering.

"All right. I’ll see you later."

Claire nodded.

"Good luck."

"You too."

Amelia and Eleanor headed toward their own groups.

Vivienne remained standing where she was. She adjusted the strap of her bag.

Her phone was already in her hand.

Before putting it away, she opened Christopher’s conversation one last time.

She smiled.

Then typed:

Vivienne: I’m here at the Foundation now. I’ll text you later. Have fun playing polo.

She sent it.

Then finally slipped her phone into her bag.

She looked up.

Unfortunately, her Saturday had officially begun.

And for the next few hours, she would have to pretend that Foundation work was more interesting than wondering what Christopher Archibald looked like playing polo

--

Tbc